Passage of bond equals small cost

April 10, 2008

What if you were told you won $12 million in the lottery and all it cost you to collect your prize was $2.50 a month?

Most of us with common sense would not pass up an offer like that.

This is basically what the Portales community has been blessed with by
the state of New Mexico. It isn’t often the officials in Santa Fe take
the time to recognize the need for quality public school facilities in
rural New Mexico, especially Portales. The upcoming Portales school
bond election is about making a tremendous improvement on our schools,
thanks to an $11.8 million commitment from the New Mexico Public School Capital Outlay Council (PSCOC). If the bond doesn’t pass, Portales loses out on this $11.8 million.

If you can’t tell, I’m all for voting “yes” on the Sept. 18 bond issue.

I am a mother of two young children and am very concerned about what
education my daughters will receive. This is one of the more simple
ways we can all invest in the future of Roosevelt County by investing
in our education system.

And when I say “invest,” I mean a minimal financial commitment from Roosevelt County property owners.

For example, for a home valued at $100,000, one’s property tax would
increase approximately $2.50 a month. That’s a kid’s meal at one of our
fine dining establishments.

I ask all registered voters in Roosevelt County to take action and
get out and vote on this very important issue — especially all those
parents who have (or ever had) children in the Portales school
district.

Early voting is available already at the Roosevelt County Courthouse.

We all win with this one.

Noelle Bartl

Portales

Quality education worth higher tax

I’d like to encourage readers vote yes on the Portales school bond election scheduled Tuesday.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us as the state has
offered $11.8 million to help us replace two schools and do upgrades on
others. All we have to do is approve the bond. This money is a one-shot
deal. And if we don’t pass this, they will certainly award this money
to another needy district in New Mexico. All it takes if five minutes
to vote.

The main purpose of this bond is to replace Steiner Elementary
(opened in 1939) and Lindsey Elementary (opened in 1940). Both schools
have been rated on the state’s “Need Drastic Repairs or Rebuilt” list
and it would cost upwards of $26 million to upgrade them.

These buildings have served faithfully for all these years. Think of
the number of students that have passed through those halls, and the
thousands of memories that have been made there. Now think of how many
generations can benefit with a new school.

Think of how this might look to new families moving into Portales
(think Cannon Air Force Base) — they will see that we believe in our
schools and that this is a great place to live and grow.

A yes vote will keep making Portales a fantastic place to raise and educate children.